RCI formal nights, can you get dolled up to the nines ????

[Dreamgirl1957]

Hi, we have just booked for Brilliance of the seas / 10 night Fjords this July.

 

Can anyone advise me if i will look out of place in a evening dress on formal nights?

I like to dress up but looking on youtube at various vidios of severl RCI ships on formal nights not many seem to bother much. Some people looked really casual, there were mostly knee length dresses but lots of women in trousers i could only see a few in long dresses .

My daughter has been on IOS's twice and she dressed up and said lots did but just worrying what to take.

Would love some advise also regarding my hubby too, will he look too much in his tux??

There are 2 formal, 2 smart casual, the rest casual but i like to make an effort and have mostly dresses, will they be a bit much on casual nights ( they are not glitzy!!) just monsoon etc .

Really dont want to look like its my first day at school !

Thanks in advance. :confused::confused:

[susie8862]

Hi, we have just booked for Brilliance of the seas / 10 night Fjords this July.

 

Can anyone advise me if i will look out of place in a evening dress on formal nights?

I like to dress up but looking on youtube at various vidios of severl RCI ships on formal nights not many seem to bother much. Some people looked really casual, there were mostly knee length dresses but lots of women in trousers i could only see a few in long dresses .

My daughter has been on IOS's twice and she dressed up and said lots did but just worrying what to take.

Would love some advise also regarding my hubby too, will he look too much in his tux??

There are 2 formal, 2 smart casual, the rest casual but i like to make an effort and have mostly dresses, will they be a bit much on casual nights ( they are not glitzy!!) just monsoon etc .

Really dont want to look like its my first day at school !

Thanks in advance. :confused::confused:

Everyone is different...if we travel Carnival, my husband wears a suit and tie for formal (elegant) night.

When we travel Celebrity, RCCL, he wears his tux.

I never wear a gown, but many women do. I wear cocktail length.

I love dresses and wear them almost every night.

You will also see people that do not abide by the rules and wear what ever they want. This topic is very controversial.

Do what makes you happy and dress up....:o:):o

[paul929207]

You will get better answers asking this on the RCI section

[Keith1010]

Here is the link for the Royal Caribbean Board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=83

 

Keith

[cb at sea]

You cannot be too "dolled up" on formal night! Leave the tiara at home, but dress to the nines....it's fine!

 

You won't be "too dressy"....others may be underdressed!

[Dreamgirl1957]

Thanks everyone, will pack my dresses then but not the crown jewelles!!!

Thanks for the advice x :)

[jamessemaj]

Almost everyone will be dressy and many will go full formal. No worries.

[Bonnie J.]

We cruise a LOT.On last month's small Canival Fantasy we counted 4 tuxes and one was my husband's. I also like to dress and wear a gown. Who cares? No one will laugh at you, dress the way you want!!!! Every thing is very causual where we live on the NC coast, only old men wear a jacket to church, there is no place to dress formally so we like to dress up! (My husband wore a jacket and tie EVERY day from kindergarten to high school graduation until he got to college- now there's no place to even wear a jacket!)

Dress up and have a formal photo taken!

[Suzieanna]

I saw plenty of long gowns on Brilliance when we were on it the year before last. Brilliance of the Seas is probably my favourite ship - you are going to have a lovely time. And the Fjords too! I am jealous!

 

We were on a P&O cruise last year and I wore what was probably the flashiest dress out of everyone on the ship, and you know what - I got so many compliments it was unreal! I felt like a hollywood star! So, dont worry about overdressing, be confident and know you look fantastic and just let everyone admire you.... ;)

 

I have noticed that people are much more inclined to wear the full length gown on their first formal night (and cocktail length thereafter) if that helps your wardrobe planning.

 

Have fun.

 

Suzie

[dln929]

Thanks everyone, will pack my dresses then but not the crown jewelles!!!

Thanks for the advice x :)

 

Vicki, if you want to pack them go ahead. We were on the Brilliance two weeks ago and saw lots of tuxedos on the men and gowns and jewels on the women. If you have diamonds, wear them!!! I wore a full length gown on both formal nights. The Welcome Aboard party with the captain and ship's officers is on the first formal night and everyone really dressed up. It was beautiful~

[Dreamgirl1957]

Thanks again everyone and nice to know Brilliance is a lovely ship, very excited now !! My daughter who has been on IOS's twice looked at my clothes yesterday and threw some things onto the definatly no pile ! She said dress up Mum and enjoy it, ive got 2 evening dresses for the two formal nights and even a long but more casual dress for one of the smart casual nights, will just pack them and stop wittering now , thanks again ! ;);)

[Sinppu]

If you haven't yet, go take a look in the Cruise Fashions and Beauty section, there are threads where people post pictures of their dresses on formal nights. You'll see there is plenty of variation ;)

[Dreamgirl1957]

If you haven't yet, go take a look in the Cruise Fashions and Beauty section, there are threads where people post pictures of their dresses on formal nights. You'll see there is plenty of variation ;)[/quote

 

Thanks will do :):)

[Starbright]

When we were on the Navigator of the Seas we dressed up for formal nights. My husband wore his tux and I wore an evening gown for both those evenings. Everyone on our table was dressed in the same way, and so were plenty of other people. If you're dressed up you'll be the ones following the dress code!

[beachchick]

Thanks again everyone and nice to know Brilliance is a lovely ship, very excited now !! My daughter who has been on IOS's twice looked at my clothes yesterday and threw some things onto the definatly no pile ! She said dress up Mum and enjoy it, ive got 2 evening dresses for the two formal nights and even a long but more casual dress for one of the smart casual nights, will just pack them and stop wittering now , thanks again ! ;);)

 

Just as a quick FYI. The stated "smart casual" nights have morphed into regular casual nights for the most part (at least, on many if not most itineraries). That's partly because of increased luggage costs, partly because some people simply don't care to bring three full levels of evening attire, and partly because the concept has become less popular overall. If you dress just a bit nicer on smart casual than regular casual, you will be fine. However, if you want to be a bit more dressed up, you should not look nor feel out of place. For formal nights, the sky's the limit. Although not "formal" by the traditional definition (i.e., tux for men, full evening gown for women), the stated formal nights run a gamut from suits or tuxes for men and cocktail dress/full length gown or dressy trouser set for women. Some people take a "who cares" attitude, but most seem to still understand that a certain level of dress is expected, appropriate, and respectful of others. My hubby and I do not attend formal night events unless we choose to dress to at least the cruise line's minimum standard (tux with snazzy accessories for him; mid-calf, black/navy/ruby, satin/velvet cocktail dress with hose, heels, and sparkly jewelry for me). I have to confess that I have seen a few women who I did consider to be too over-the-top (squeezed into tight and lowcut ballgown, bejeweled from top of the head to tip of the toes, gloves, tiara, and on and on); OTOH, if they're happy and feel good, who am I to critique their choices? It's not as if people are pointing and laughing about it or, at least, I haven't seen that and hope it doesn't happen.

 

Most important note (which you have gotten before): It's almost impossible to be too dressed up for formal night.

 

Everyone is different...if we travel Carnival, my husband wears a suit and tie for formal (elegant) night.

When we travel Celebrity, RCCL, he wears his tux.

I never wear a gown, but many women do. I wear cocktail length.

I love dresses and wear them almost every night.

You will also see people that do not abide by the rules and wear what ever they want. This topic is very controversial.

Do what makes you happy and dress up....:o:):o

 

I agree in general, but have to note that most lines address the issue as dress suggestions or expectations, rather than rules. And I get concerned about the "do whatever you want" in the controversy simply because there are those who turn it around with "Fine. It's my vacation and I'll dress down in a t-shirt and shorts on formal night because it's 'what I want and makes me happy'." I rather wish the cruise lines would say, "This is the dress requirement for these specific events; you may dress this way or dress casually and make use of the casual options. Period." OTOH, I've also heard people say things like, "I can't believe those slobs we just walked by; they're in swimsuits and coverups while we're on our way to early seating for formal night; they've ruined it for me." Please. If we have late seating (which we always do, unless we do open dining), we're not going to stop what we're doing and dress up 3 hours early just to complete someone's fantasy on their way to dinner.

 

In any case, I do think that formal night dinner should be respected as such. It's a shame that members here even have to question whether it's a good idea to dress formally! Of course it is.

 

beachchick

[DanJ]

OTOH, I've also heard people say things like, "I can't believe those slobs we just walked by; they're in swimsuits and coverups while we're on our way to early seating for formal night; they've ruined it for me." Please. If we have late seating (which we always do, unless we do open dining), we're not going to stop what we're doing and dress up 3 hours early just to complete someone's fantasy on their way to dinner.

beachchick

 

Further to that, I've never understood how what someone is wearing can affect somebody else like that, let alone "ruin it" for them LOL.

[tip]

Further to that, I've never understood how what someone is wearing can affect somebody else like that, let alone "ruin it" for them LOL.

 

 

Point well taken!

[lovevacadays]

As you can see from all the posts, you will see people in jeans to long gowns on formal nights. I say, go for what you want to do. It's a cruise and you should do what is fun for you! I love formal nights. I don't do the full length gown thing but I do wear either a fancy cocktail dress or silky pants and fancy top. I like to bling and sparkle it up. My everyday life doesn't afford me the opporunity to do this so I really love the formal night experience when I cruise. I've only cruised 16 times but I hope on my 50th cruise I still want the formal night experience.:)

[Dreamgirl1957]

Thanks again to everyone, really appriciate all the answers. I will dress up and not worry and i agree, i think they should be sticter with the dress code for the MDR, i think it would just make things easier with some basic dress code rules. Thanks again !!:D:D

[spookwife]

Hi, we have just booked for Brilliance of the seas / 10 night Fjords this July.

 

Can anyone advise me if i will look out of place in a evening dress on formal nights?

 

DH is in Dinner Mess Dress( the uber formal Uniform) and I am in a ball gown.

 

Lots of Tuxes abound as well. you'll be fine.

[parrotfeathers]

Absolutely--take your good stuff. Even my waiter complimented me on "dressing up". I live on a farm and rarely dress up except for conventions. I think people just don't go to the trouble, but those people are very appreciative seeing others who do go to the trouble. You will get many compliments.

[Jimnbigd]

Sure, why not. Here's a youtube video (not mine) of a typical formal night.

[LoisGriffin1]

I think European cruises are more formal. I cant remember seeing people dressed casual on formal night but I have seen plenty of people dressed formally on casual nights.

 

A couple of cruises ago I went to the gym and was heading back to the room to shower and get ready for formal night. I got quite a few disapproving looks from people heading to the dining room (I would have thought walking along in t-shirt, shorts and being extremely sweaty it would be obvious I had been in the gym and not heading for dinner).

[Tiggertastic]

We flew our tux and ball gown out to Boston from the UK to wear on formal night and when we walked in the 2 women in front of us has jeans and fleeces on - they were allowed in and the maitre D tried to sit us with them

 

My husband - who normally is quiet spoken and polite - said 'If you think I flew this suit 3000 miles to sit with someone in their jeans - think again'

 

We were surprised at the number not wearing formal clothes and the ship didn't care

 

It was the first and only time we've seen RCCL do this

 

It was a weird cruise though - lots of water drinking, hand luggage only passengers in jeans and the bars were empty

[Dreamgirl1957]

Sure, why not. Here's a youtube video (not mine) of a typical formal night.

 

Thanks, also wish i cruised as much as you !! Your so lucky, Vic :):):)